Kashmiri Hindus - Invisible Refugees

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Invisible Refugees in their own Country Lalit Koul

Transcript of Kashmiri Hindus - Invisible Refugees

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InvisibleRefugeesintheirownCountry

LalitKoul

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 Geographical/DemographicIntroduction  WhoareKashmiriHindus?  SevenExoduses  EthnicCleansing  ExistenceatStake UniversalApathy  Whatdowedemand? HowcanYOUHelp?

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 Oldestcivilizationintheworld,datesbackatleast5000years

 Largestdemocracyintheworld 7thlargestcountryintheworld 4thLargesteconomyintheworld 2ndFastestgrowingeconomyintheworld BeforeIndependencein1947,ruledmostlybyHindu,MuslimkingsandBritishColonialrule

 28States,7UnionTerritories

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  Apluralistic,multilingual,andmultiethnicsociety Culturally&religiouslydiverse Hindus–80%,Muslims–14%,Christians–3%,Sikhs–2%

  18Officiallanguages 2ndlargestpopulationofMuslimsinanycountryintheWorld.

 2ndlargestEnglishspeakingpopulation

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  CitybornoutofLakeSatisar,bySageKashyap

  “Kashyapa-pura”to“Kashmir”  CenterofHinduism,Buddhism,KashmirShaivism,Sufism

  Pre-14thcentury:CenterofSanskritscholars,RuledbyHinduKings

  14thto18thcentury:Islamwasdominantreligion,Ruledby AfghansandMughals

  19thcentury:RuledbySikhsandHinduDograrulers

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   August1947:Indiagotindependence

  October1947:Jammu&KashmiraccededtoIndia

  Dueto1947-48war,partsofregionoccupiedbyPakistanandChina

  OnlyMuslimmajoritystateinIndia

  Demographics:Region Population Hindu Muslims

 Jammu ~3Mn 66% 30%

Kashmir ~5Mn 7%* 92%

Ladhakh ~.25Mn 3% 50%

*Pre-1990,Pre-Exodus 

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  Communityof700,000+souls  OriginalinhabitantsofKashmir  Symbolsofbrotherhoodandpeace

  RepresentativesofgloriousheritageandlegacyofKashmir

  Alwaysdevotedtospiritualandacademicpursuits  Nurturedvaluesofpeace,co-existenceandtolerancefor5000years

  ProgenitorsofKashmirShaivism–thephilosophyofonenessofmankind

  Producedagalaxyofbrilliantsages,saints,poets,statesmen,administratorsandambassadors

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  Inspiteofrepeatedrejectionofco-existenceandpluralismbymajorityMuslimcommunityforthelastsixhundredyears,KashmiriHinduhasnotgivenuphisfaithinthesevalues

 KashmiriHinduhasneverreciprocatedfanaticism withfanaticismandviolencewithviolence.

 KashmiriHinduistheonlyexamplewhohastotallyrejectedtheviolenceasameanstofulfillsocio-cultural-politicalaspirations.

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  TheFirstExodus(1389-1413A.D)  Sikanderbut-shikanorderedpersecutionofHindus  100,000KashmiriHindusdrownedinlake  7moundsofmurderedHindus’sacredthreadburnt Only11KashmiriHindufamiliesleftinthevalley

  TheSecondExodus(1506-1585A.D)  Chak(Shia)dynastyfromGilgitinvadedtoruleKashmir  MadepersecutionofKashmiriHindusofficialpolicy  Forciblyconverted24,000HindustoIslam  900KashmiriHindusbeheadedeverydayfornotconvertingtoIslam

  ForcedHinduswearingsacredthreadtopaytax

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  TheThirdExodus(1585-1753A.D)  MughalsinvadedandruledKashmir  3rdMughalKingAkbartriedtorehabilitateKashmiriHindus   Akbar’ssonJehangirreversedthepoliciesandonceagaininitiatedpersecutionofHindus

  ForcedHindugirlstomarryMuslims   Jehangir’sgrandsonAurangzebcontinuedwithIslamsizationofKashmirandIndia

   AurangzebkilledSikhGuruShriTegBahadurwhopleadedwithhimformercyonKashmiriHindus

  TheFourthExodus(1753A.D)   AfghanrulersFazalKanthandhisGovernorAmirKhancontinued withpersecutionandforcedHindustoleaveKashmir

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  TheFifthExodus(1930-1948A.D.)   After500yearsofMuslimrule,in1820SikhsandHinduDograsreclaimedthepowertoruleKashmir

  Britishpromotedcommunalhatredtopushtheir“DivideandRule”policy;promotedyoungMuslimstorevoltagainstDograruleinKashmir

  13thJuly1931:MuslimsattackedKashmiriHindus’lifeandproperty,killedmanyinnocentHindus

  October1947:PakistaniraidersattackedKashmiriHindusandkilledmany,forcinganotherexodusfromthevalley

  TheSixthExodus(1986A.D)  TargetedkillingsofKashmiriHindustriggeredanotherexodus

  TheSeventhExodus(1990–present)  Ethniccleansingatitsworst

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  FirstnailinthecoffinonFebruary21,1986inthecityofAnantnag,Kashmir  40KashmiriHindutemplesdesecrated  1,500KashmiriHinduhouseslooted  300KashmiriHinduhousessetablaze

  1989  Leadingcommunityactivists,scholars&educationiststargetedandkilledbyMuslimterrorists

  KashmiriHindubusinessesdestroyedandlooted  KashmiriHindupropertieslootedandburnt

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  LastnailinthecoffinonJanuary19-20,1990  Allmosquesthroughoutthevalleyplayedthreateningaudio-tapes

 ThreateningposterswerepastedonKashmiriHinduhouses

  KashmiriHindusweregiven24-hourstoleave,dieorconvert

  KashmiriHindushidtheirfemalefolksinhouses,withapinchofpoisonreadytoembracedeath

  Post-January20,1990  Exodusstarted;Communityin-exilesincethen…..

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Theterrorist'sintimidation:LeaveKashmirinonemonthotherwisedangertolifeandfamily.

ThisisLastWarning.ByOrder

Dist.Commander

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SealoftheCentralOfficeofAllahTigers  Allah-O-Akbar

MUSLIMSAWAKE ALLINFIDELSVANISH

 JIHADISAPPROACHING

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 “IfyouwanttostayinKashmir,Youhavetosay Allah-O-Akbar”

 “ WewantKashmir,withKashmiriHinduwomenbutwithouttheirmen”

 “EitherDieOrConvertOrLeave

 “ Whatdowewanthere?RuleofSharia”

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  KillingofKashmiriHindusdepictsextremesadism.All victimsweresubjectedtoextremetortureandterrorbyinhumanpracticessuchas:  Strangulationbyusingsteelwires Hanging  Brandingwithhotironsandburningalive

  Lynchingandbleedingtodeath  Gougingoutofvitalorgans  DismembermentofHumanbodies

  Terroristsindulgedinbarbaricactslikeperforming'deathdances'afterkillingtheinnocents

  Manyatime,deadbodieswerenotevenallowedtobeproperlycremated 17

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#ofReligiousShrinesburnt Morethan200

#ofHousesburnt Morethan20,000

#ofHouseslooted 95%

#ofShopsandBusinessesburnt Morethan15,000

#ofEducationalInstitutionsburnt Morethan150

#ofAgriculture-basedfamiliesdeprivedoftheirresources Morethan20,000

#ofKashmiriHinduskilledinthevalley Morethan1500

#ofKashmiriHindurefugeeswithoutahomeoftheirown Morethan700,000

#ofKashmiriHindurefugeeslivingwithintheValleyof

Kashmir

 About5,000

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MajorReasonsforleavingtheKashmirValley %age

Insecurityinducedbyterroristviolence 31.11

Directthreatfromterrorists 12.53

Killingofneighbors 10.65

Indirectthreat 22.34

Killingofrelatives 7.10

Kidnapping/rapeofwomen 1.04

Insecurityinducedbyisolation 9.39

Insecurityinducedbyotherrefugees 1.88

InsecurityinducedbyMuslimfriends/well-wishers 3.97

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NatureofDisease Pre-displacement%age Post-Displacement%age

Diabetes 3.39 38.50

Hypertension 2.98 64.98

MentalDepression 0.35 48.66

Tuberculosis 0.61 1.16

Hepatitis 0.05 3.99

HeartDisease 2.27 13.79

Cancer 0.30 2.98

SkinDisease 0.20 26.07

Ulcer/AcidDyspepsia 1.62 18.65

IntestinalDisease 0.71 12.83

 Asthma 2.83 17.43

Malnutrition/Anemia 0.15 5.81

KidneyDisease 0.76 7.8323

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ModeofTransportation %age

GovernmentTrucks 2.30

PrivateTrucks 71.90

PrivateCars 6.20

Buses 19.60

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 Year #ofDeaths*

1990 1,056

1991 409

1992 397

1993 178

1994 89

1995 62

1996 43

1997-2000 148

Total 2,382

*DeathsinrefugeecampsbasedinplainsofJammu,India

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  Local,StateandNationalgovernmentsfailedtoprotectKashmiriHindus’fundamentalrights

  LeadinginternationalhumanrightsorganizationsfailedKashmiriHindusbyignoringtheirpolitical,economicandculturalgenocide

 Nationalandinternationalmediaaidedandabettedthegenocidebytotallyignoringit

 Gradualextinctionofapeacefulcivilizedcommunity withancientcultureyettoshaketheconscienceoftheworld

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 MinorityinaMuslimmajoritystate  Victimofvote-bankpolitics  Toosmallanumbertohaveapoliticalconstituency  Toodispersedtohaveastrongpoliticalvoiceatoneplace

  Apparentlydonotmakeagoodcommercialmediastory

  Aretakenforgrantedforourpeacefulwaysandcommittedpatriotism

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 DothesereasonsjustifyourEthnicCleansing? DothesereasonsjustifytheUniversalSilence? DothesereasonsjustifytheOfficialApathy? DothesereasonsjustifyOurExtinction?

 NO,NO,NO,&NO28

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  Setupa‘CommissionofEnquiry’toestablishthecausesthatledtotheselectiveandtargetedkillingsofKashmiriHindusandtheirsubsequentforcedexile,andappropriatetheresponsibilityandpunishtheguilty.

  DeclareusasInternallyDisplacedPeople(IDP).Theuseof theinsultingterm‘Migrants’forthisforciblyexiledcommunitymayberemovedfromallrecordsandcommunicationsrelatingtothemhenceforth.

  RestoreKashmiriHindus’politicalandeconomicrightsthatwouldgivethemequalstatusratherthanasecondclasscitizenshipintheirnativelandofKashmir.

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  DirecttheinvestigationagenciesandcourtstoexpeditetheprosecutioncasesagainstthoseMuslimterroristswhohavebeenchargedwithKashmiriPandits'killings.

  EnsureadequateprotectiontotheresidualKashmiriPanditpopulationcurrentlylivingintheKashmirvalley.

  GrantfundstoKashmiriHindusforthepreservationanddocumentationofrelicsofKashmiriHinduheritageandculture.

  HandoverthemanagementofKashmiriHindureligiousshrines,iconsandculturalcenterstoKashmiriHinduleadership.

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  Establishmentofaseparatehomeland(PANUNKASHMIR)forusintheKashmirValley,comprisingtheregionsofthevalleytotheEastandNorthofriverJhelum

  ConstitutionofIndiabemadeapplicableinletterandspiritinthishomelandinordertoensurerighttolife,liberty,freedomofexpression,faith,equalityandruleoflaw

  Thishomelandbeplacedundercentraladministration withaUnionTerritoryStatus

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  Bybreakingthesilenceandspeakingoutagainstglobalterrorism

  Byengagingmediaandforcingthemtofocusonthisstory Byforcingpolicymakerstoenactandimplementlegislationsagainstglobalterroristsandcountriesthatharborterrorists

  ByengagingHumanRightsOrganizationsandmakingthemawareofourculturalandphysicalgenocide

  ByraisinganddonatingfundsthatwillgotowardspreservationofKashmiriHindus’cultureandheritage

  BycollaboratingwithKashmiriHinduorganizationsonadvocacyprojects

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